4 new technologies which help speed up the approval process

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4 new technologies which help speed up
the approval process

Introduction
Matter management is a complex affair.
As a team member working with your colleagues and manager
to compile matter folders, you may have experienced the
frustration of making last minute amendments to documents or
spent unnecessary time searching for a document that has
simply disappeared or been saved elsewhere.

Introduction
…And that’s only the beginning! Next comes the challenge of getting
that long awaited stamp of approval from the person in charge of the
case. This may take some time.
Gone are the days where you could find your managers at the end of
the corridor and receive an immediate answer. At best, they are out
of the office, too busy dealing with an influx of emails from your
peers or other urgent priorities.

Introduction
Even when you get an answer, it is likely that there will be some
toing and froing between you and your manager before you receive
that final approval. Technology is there to help you…

Introduction
Although it will not support your case in any way and will not work
out the psychological path to selling an idea to your boss, you still
can use some of it to optimise this approval process and bridge some
of the gaps between you and your manager.

4 new technologies which help speed up
the approval process.

1. Scan to Share – makes your documents easy to share and manage
Scanning technology quickly converts paper documents into an
electronic format for easy storage and sharing. Although this is an
obvious one, it is a must have.

Working with paper documents during the approval process is
inefficient, especially if more than one manager is involved in the
sign-off process.
Hard copies are not easy to share and while sending files by post or
delivering them by hand are viable alternatives, they are costly and
inconvenient.
Aside from the widespread optical character recognition (OCR)
technology, today’s scanners route your documents automatically to
your email inbox, a LAN repository folder or a DMS. You then have to
retrieve the document and proceed to sharing it yourself.

Integration: The latest scanning technologies take this a little
further by automating steps between scanning, storing and sharing.
In one push of the scanner button, you can now send your
document on a sharing platform, in the cloud or on an in-house
server, and dispatch to your co-workers.
This is a huge time saver, and it greatly reduces the risk of error,
inherent to any human manipulation.

2. File sharing – makes your documents mobile
With almost 20% of the EU workforce spending more than 10 working
hours per week out of the office and 57% using their own devices*,
making documents accessible at any time and from anywhere is a must.

The time it takes to get an approval is partly due to the lack of
availability of the persons involved. If there’s only one approver it
is easier to manage but with several people involved, the process
can quickly turn into a nightmare.

File sharing tools, in-house or ‘Cloud’ based, are now fairly common
and are great for providing quick, easy and secure access to
documents from any device (iPads, tablets or smartphones) and at
any time – perfect for your managers who can view documents at
their convenience.
When considering such solution, make sure it can synchronise
documents in order to clearly identify the latest version of a file and
that it automatically notifies your manager of its availability.

3. Document discussion threads
– facilitates communication and interaction
The process of getting approval is a lot like selling a product. So if you
are not in front of your manager to provide the pitch, how do you
actually support your opinion?

• Solutions do exists, which allows you to annotate or comment on the
matter and conversely which allows the manager and other people
involved to review, mark up, amend and add notes and comments.
• Some file sharing tools also allow opening discussions between all
participants on documents. Not only does that greatly enhance the flow of
communication, it also enables you to track changes, link these back to
their explanation and understand the rationale behind certain decisions. It
also provides you with a history that you could analyse and learn from in
the future.
3. Document discussion threads
– facilitates communication and interaction

4. Document / folder organiser – immediate access to all relevant files
• As part of the sign-off process, your manager may have further
questions associated with the documents they are approving.
• It is important to provide the answers quickly. Your efficiency will
be heavily linked to your ability to find the original documents
which answers the question, and therefore in the way you store
and organise all the files which contributed in the building of your
final case.

New technology can now collate multiple documents in different
formats (office document, videos, emails, pdfs…) within a single file. In
other words, all your documents (including the final version and the
associated previous drafts, briefs...) are in one location and easy to find.
4. Document / folder organiser –immediate access to all relevant files

• The technology replicates the familiar paper-based binders so you
can organise different sections and flick through them quickly to find
the exact page required just as you would within a physical ring
binder.
• A must-have keyword search function can help locate the relevant
files quickly to help find the right document to answer your
manager’s questions. Also document mark-up and annotation
capabilities can be used to respond directly within the document.
• All in all, these organisers are huge time savers and fairly convenient
in such context.
4. Document / folder organiser –immediate access to all relevant files

Conclusion
Matter management, and more specifically the approval process, involves
juggling many different elements. To achieve this, technology helps. Among
other things, it puts the correct documents in front of the approvers at the
right time..

Conclusion
It empowers managers to access and view documents remotely, at their
convenience and when it comes to communicating thoughts and opinions, it
facilitates interaction between all parties.
However one thing technology can’t do is understand and establish
relationship. By engaging with and learning how your managers work, you are
better positioned to approach them at the best time and to pitch your piece.
Once you get to know their personalities, technology can give you that extra
edge and make the approval process more efficient.

Nikec Docstore is an application designed for professionals which allows storing any type of file,
accessing them remotely from a computer or an iPad and sharing them with authorised colleagues
or clients. By combining ease of use and the level of security required in the exchange of working and
sensitive documents Nikec Docstore is ideal for mobile professionals and collaborative work. Plus the
application is available on premise or in cloud (SAAS), so you always keep full control of your
documents. For more information, please visit: www.docstorepro.com -

Copitrak is a reference solution in cost recovery and expense management. Copitrak ensures clients
can effortlessly improve cost control and maximize recharge rates. Copitraks' range of tools and
software includes modules for Copy, Print, Secure Print, Scan Routing to email/Document
Management Systems with OCR, Expense Management, Print Room Management Workflow,
Telephony and Blackberry tracking, all of which are geared to deliver 100% payback within a few
months.

Nikec Binder is an electronic ring-binder to view, review, mark up and present your documents in the
office or on the move. Nikec Binder collates files in a single convenient binder file. It is designed to
provide the busy fee earner with the tools to allow them to view their matter in a format as similar
to paper as possible. Whether it's to present pitch document, create matter bibles, know-how
documents or internal training or HR documents, Nikec Binder helps you deliver a slick, flashy and
user friendly electronic binder. Visit Nikec Binder page

For more information please visit www.nikecsolutions.com
Address:
52-54 Gracechurch Street,
London, EC3V 0EH
Contact numbers:
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7621 2350
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7621 2360
Email:
info@nikecsolutions.com
Contact

4 new technologies which help speed up the approval process

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4 new technologies which help speed up the approval process